Beijing police had arrested a man who allegedly swindled 240,000 yuan (US$30,000) out of a group of senior citizens by posing as the late Sun Yat-sen, the Beijing Youth Daily reported Monday.

Wang Jiancheng, 61, resembled Sun Yat-sen, leader of the 1911 Revolution which overthrew the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), said the paper.

Wang had allegedly claimed to be Sun Yat-sen since 1999, and said he was more than 130 years old. He and his female accomplice, Chen Meiying, allegedly told a group of retirees last year that he had a huge fund, but needed some money to access it.

The retirees, in their seventies or eighties, were thinking about setting up a history study association but they lacked money.

The group then collected 240,000 yuan in a few days and lent it to Wang, who allegedly gave them a receipt bearing the name of Sun Yat-sun and promised to return double the money in three months.

Chen Meiying, 66, allegedly posed as Sun Yat-sen's servant. She was also arrested.

Their scam was discovered in March this year when they were trying to swindle money out of another person.

(Shenzhen Daily April 28, 2004)